Bars : United Kingdom : England : London : Artesian Bar
Bars : United Kingdom : England : London : Artesian Bar
About Artesian Bar
Like many London hotel bars Artesian Bar was designed by David Collins, who this time has chosen a design the hotel describes as “Chinese Chippendale”. Grand hand-carved pagoda-style shelves dominate the back bar, offset by a marble bar and beautifully ornate wall panelling. Sculpted timber chandeliers complete the look, which isn’t very authentically Chinese but perhaps conjures up what 1930s Europe might have imagined the Far East may have looked like.
Artesian prides itself on its choice of rums, a spirit often, inexplicably, overlooked in hotel bars. They have an impressive selection of rum cocktails including classics like the Ti Punch and a rather tasty, if expensive at £25, sounding Zombie that uses Bacardi Superior, Zacapa 23 year old, Appleton Extra and Myer’s Dark Rum along with Maraschino, Falernum and a float of Bacardi 151 to finish you off.
In addition to the cocktails, they have a list of over 60 rums including two bottled especially for them by a company that buys rums from around the Caribbean and then ages then in Scotland. The Artesian 1990 Demerara Rum from the Port Morant Estate is a delicious mix of chocolate, toffee, dry fruits and oak that I really enjoyed, and the Artesian 1997 Panama Rum is a brighter, more fruity affair that was also very tasty.
In addition to the rums they also have a good selection of classic drinks and other creations on the list, without doubt my favourite of which was the Jerry’s Medicine – a mix of Mount Gay XO, Pedro Ximenez 20 year old sherry, Crème de Banane, bitters and orange zest. Perfectly balanced and full of interesting flavours I could have happily sipped these all night.
Thankfully I was visiting with Dinah which gave me the opportunity to sample the Essence of Shinjuku, a disappointing mix of Sake and Japanese whisky that was rather limp and bland compared to what we were expecting. Dinah finished the night with a decent, if slightly too tart, Last Word, while I went for an Artesian Punch.
Consisting of Pyrat Pistol rum, Calvados, Poire William, Maraschino liqueur, pineapple and citrus, finished off with a float of Myer’s and Wray & Nephew, it was quite a drink. Complete with flaming inverted lime peel it certainly looked the part, and pleasingly the taste followed through with a wonderful mixture of dry yet fruity flavour with plenty of kick on the finish.
Overall an enjoyable bar with a decent rum selection and some very interesting cocktails on the menu. With a very pretty bar (the lighting is lower at night than in the photo above, and much nicer), friendly and knowledgeable staff, and a generally high quality of cocktails Artesian is a very respectable hotel bar. It’s worth visiting just to give the Artesian 1990 Demerara Rum and the Jerry’s Medicine a try, and I certainly look forward to visiting again for just that reason soon. Recommended.
Artesian Bar Review By Lisa T. : Los Angeles, CA
What a swank, sexy and subtle place to enjoy an evening in London's west end.
Located inside the historic Langham Hotel, I was very impressed by the sleekness of the Artesian Bar. A genteel Franco-Oriental motif dominates, and ornately carved wooden bar cabinets filled with curious artifacts are somehow not at odds with the drowsing purple butterflies in the wallpaper. Dark wood is contrasted by cool marble, mirror, and chrome accents. The effect is classy, modern and warmed up by perfect glowing light and floor to ceiling windows with a view of the street bustle below. Enjoy the gourmet nuts and chips with an expertly crafted cocktail at the bar, or tuck yourself into one of the intimate pockets of seating in shades of lush gray and purple.
The bar itself is like an apothecary's cabinet, filled with funky and bewildering items from abroad. Look for the Russian nesting dolls, tiki heads, barrels of rare Chinese spirits, aboriginal bottles covered in cow hide and goat horns, and more. There is a very rum-centric vibe, but their friendly and polite mixologist can mix up the most delicious non-rum combinations as well.
I enjoyed the Aromatic Rendezvous (coriander, tarragon oregano, rosemary, fresh lime and French gin somehow concocted over a perfect globe of ice in a tumbler glass, and finished with achingly fresh sprigs of fragrant apple blossom and jasmine flower).
Their menu is fabulous, with a cocktail flavor map to help guide your journey, the cardinal points of which consist of "light and crisp" (Diamond Life), "delicate, fruity and refreshing" (Langham Cobbler), "rich and vibrant" (Aromatic Rendezvous) and "full body, dry and sipping" (BBC cocktail). If you prefer something a little more traditional, opt for the hot buttered rum, or one of their lost and forgotten spirit tasting combos (Genever with traditional Dutch cheese, for example).
And if you're really fancy they have a bottle of Louis Roederer Cristal 1990 for just 1,200 GBP.
Contact Artesian Bar
Address 1 Portland Pl, London W1B 1PN, United Kingdom | Phone +44 20 7636 1000
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